Spray means for clothes conditioner



Nov. 12, 1957 E. a. OLTHUIS SPRAY MEANS FOR CLQTHES CONDITIONER 2 Sheets- Sheet Filed Oct. 7, 1955 INVENTOR.

EUGENE e. OLTHUIS HIS ATTORNEY 'Nov. 12, 1957 E. a. OLTHUIS 2,81

SPRAY MEANS FOR CLOTHES CONDITIONER Filed Oct. 7, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 4

COOL DOWN INVENTOR. EU GENE G. OLTH U IS H IS ATTORNEY Haired. rates 2,812,593 Patented Nov. 12, 1957 inc SPRAY MEANS FUR CLGTHES CONDITIONER Eugene G. @ithuis, Louisville, Ky, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application fictoher 7, 1955, Serial No. 539,178

6 Claims. (Cl. 34-60) The present invention relates to clothes drying machines and more particularly to such machines including means for spraying liquid, as for example, water, starch, moth proofing, dry cleaning, deodorizing, water repelling, disinfecting or other media, onto the clothes for conditioning purposes.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved clothes drying machine having motor driven, liquid spray means for conditioning the clothes placed therein.

Another object of my invention is to provide new and improved liquid spray means for use in a clothes drying machine, whose operation is readily controlled through the sequence control mechanism of the machine.

A further object is to provide a clothes conditioning means for use with a clothes drying machine, which is etfective to spray liquid onto the clothes at a substantially constant rate.

According to my invention 1 provide a etachable container having a liquid clothes conditioning medium therein and mount the same on a clothes drying machine in conjunction with a motor driven dispensing means. The dispensing means comprises a rotating element which is fed with the liquid in the container and throws it off in a spray into the clothes tumbling means of the machine. The container preferably is so constructed and associated with the rotating element that it presents a constant level of liquid to the element, with the result that a controlled amount of liquid is sprayed on the clothes in a given period of time. For the purpose of varying the quantity of liquid dispensed, as in the use of different liquids or difterent quantities of clothes in the machine, the period of operation of the rotating element may be varied by the setting of the sequence control means of the drying machine.

Other features and advantages of my invention will be apparent in the following detailed description of the presently preferred construction shown in the accompanying drawings in whicr Fig. 1 is a partially broken away perspective View of an automatic clothes drier embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a partially broken away elevation view showing the mounting of the container and the dispensing means;

Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view showing the mounting of the dispensing means;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of the automatic control for the drier; and

Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating the sequence of operation of the control elements shown in Fig. 4.

Referringto the drawings, there is shown in Fig. l a clothes drying machine including an outer shell having a front panel 1, a rear panel 2 and a cover member 3. The front panel is provided adjacent its bottom with an air outlet 4 and an air inlet 5, while the cover member is provided with a backsplasher 6 adapted to contain a conventional sequence control mechanism (see Fig. 4), the setting of which may be adjusted through control knob 7. The front panel also is provided with an aperture permitting insertion and removal of clothes from the machine, which aperture is adapted to be closed by a hinged and suitably sealed door 8. Suitable side panels and bottom member complete the outer shell. Insulation, not shown, may be disposed interiorly of the outer shell adjacent the panels, cover, and bottom, as is common in this type of structure.

Disposed within the outer shell and arranged to rotate about a generally horizontal axis therein is a foraminous, generally cylindrical tumbler drum 11, which has an imperforate rear wall and a solid front wall 12 with an aperture 13 therein. The aperture 13 is aligned with the door 53 and comprises the opening through which clothes may be inserted into and removed from the tumbling drum. The tumbler drum is provided with annular collar 2%) around the loading opening 13, outwardly directed toward the drier door from the front wall 12 and closely spaced with respect to a concentric inwardly extending collar 21 of the front panel 1, thereby to prevent clothes from dropping down between the front wall of the drum and the front panel 1 of the cabinet. lnteriorly of the outer-shell and on the right hand side of the drum, as viewed in Fig. 1, there is mounted an upwardly extending impcrforate baffle it This bafile is arranged to provide a relatively narrow clearance with the drum near its bottom portion, and with the inner surface of the shell it forms an air passageway leading to an electrical heater 16 mounted adjacent the upper portion of the drum. The heater lid is mounted by a suitable means (not shown) and is suppl ed with current through leads l7 and 18 under the control of the sequence control mechanism.

in the space provided between the bottom portion of baffle iii and the side panel of the shell a drive motor (til and a blower 31 are mounted. The blower 31 draws in air through conduit leading from inlet 5' and discharges the air under pressure into the zone containing heater 16. When the heater is activated, such air thereupon is heated. The heated air enters the drum through the perforations in the side of the same and passes downwardly through the drum absorbing moisture from and drying the clothes being tumbled therein. When the heater is inactivated, the air passes into the drier in the same way, as for example when the clothes are to be cooled following the drying of the same, or are receiving a conditioning treatment, as will later be described. The air, heated or unheated, after passing through the drum flows through the perforations in the sidewall thereof into an exhaust air accumulator space 22. The exhaust air flows from this space through a suitable lint trap (not shown) and out of the machine through outlet 4.

The drive motor 35%"; for the blower is supplied with current through leads 33 and 34 under control of the sequence control mechanism. Through a belt or other drive 35 the motor shaft is also directly connected to a drive pulley for tumbler drum so that not only the blower but also the drum is rotated whenever the motor is rotating.

For conditioning the clothes within the drum 11 at the option of the operator a clothes conditioner structure is mounted on the interior of door 8, this structure comprising a first section including a container an and a cooperating second section, including a supply container 41. Within container ill a conditioning motor is mounted by means of a suitable bracket 43 and is provided with leads 44 and 45 serving to supply current to the motor under control of the sequence control mechanism {see Figs. 2 and 3). A shaft at extending in a non-vertical direction from the motor carries at its lower end a liquid propelling element adapted to dip into the bath of liquid contained in container 46. Preferably and as shown this rotating element comprises a thin disc 47. An aperture or slot 48 of suitable narrow configuration is provided in the wall of container at a location suitable for the centrifugal discharge of liquid into the aperture 13 of the rotatable tumbler drum as the disc or blade 4-7 rotates. The disc throws off the liquid from its periphery in a spray and this spray passes through slot and aperture 13 into the tumbling drum. Within the drum the spray settles in a dispersed pattern so as to moisten the clothes being tumbled.

At its bottom portion the container 4i is provided with a slot 49, best shown in Fig. 2, for receiving liquid from the companion supply container ll, The conditioning liquid is discharged from the container 41 through a slot positioned opposite the slot 49 of container 4h. The bottoms of both containers 4b and 41 are disposed within a pan 51, and this pan carries the liquid from the discharge slot 50 in container 41 to the intake slot 49 of container 4%. The pan 51 is fixedly secured to the dispensing container 49, and container 4t) in turn is mounted on the door 8 by suitable supporting means such as the screws 52 (see Fig. 3). The supply container 4.; is however, not attached to the pan or to the door but merely rests on the pan and may be manually removed therefrom for fillin and emptying. A suitable handle is provided for the manipulation of the removable container 41. To fill the container 41 it is inverted and liquid fed thereto through slot St). The side and bottom walls of the container extend outwardly in the region of slot 54 as indicated at 54 to act as a filling spout leading to slot 5%.

it will be understood, however, that my invention is not limited to illustrated mounting arrangement for the containers it? and 41. Any suitable means for mounting the containers and the pan upon door 3 may be used although it is preferred to mount the pan 51 and the container 4b a substantially permanent manner and to mount supply container ll in a relatively easily detachable manner. Moreover, in the broader aspects of the invention, the clothes conditioning apparatus is not necessarily limited to mounting upon the door 8, but on the contrary may be mounted upon collar or loading ring 21, or at any other location permitting discharge of the conditioning medium into contact with clothes inside the tumbler drum.

As will be apparent, upon filling container 4-1 in an inverted position and then placing the same in the position shown in Fig. 2 liquid discharges from the same through slot 59 into pan 51 and thence through slot 49 into container 4h. Due to the pressure of air upon the exposed level of liquid in pan 51 and container 40 the height of that level is determined by the height of slot 50, and a constant level is maintained so long as container 41 contains a body of liquid sufficient to immerse the whole of slot 59. Liquid can escape into pan 51 and container 449 only when the level therein drops below the tops of slot 5%; and thus a substantially constant liquid level equal in depth to the height of the slot 5%? is maintained in pan 51 and container 40. The blade 4'7 running at a constant speed and dipping into a body of liquid at a constant level discharges a liquid spray through aperture 48 at a constant'rate. The amount of conditioning medium received by the clothes in drum 11 is therefore dependent upon the length of time the blade and motor are operated. Preferably the wall structure of container 41 is made of a translucent material or has a portion serving as a sight-glass whereby the operator may readily observe the level of liquid therein.

Reference now is made to Figs. 4 and 5 showing schematically a sequence control mechanism and circuit for the clothes drying machine of Fig. 1, this mechanism and circuit including means for the user optionally energizing the clothes conditioning motor 42. Power supplied from plug P, preferably at 110 volt, 60 cycle A. 0, serves to actuate the heater16, conditioning motor 42' and drive 4 motor 30 under control established by the operator of the machine through the setting of knob 7. A timer motor 6d, the setting of which is controllable by knob 7 in a conventional manner drives through a cam shaft the cams 61 and 62 which control the actuation of heater l6 and drive motor 3d. Also mounted upon the shaft in the practice of my invention, is a third cam 63 controlling the operation of the conditioning motor 42. Since various types of fabrics requiring different times for drying, and different loads of fabrics may be placed in the tumbler drum from time to time, control knob 7 is suitably calibrated to indicate to the operator the length of time required to complete an entire revolution of the cams. Moreover, the operator may desire a particular degree of drying, such as a damp dry or fluff dry for any given load of fabrics or any given type of fabrics, and knob 7 accordingly may be adjusted to provide this control, all as is well known in the art.

To initiate dryer operation the dial 7 of the timer is manually turned so as to rotate cam 62 and close switch 628. This completes energizing circuits for both the timing motor 60 and the drive motor 30. Rotation of the knob to any point in the Dry range or the Sprinkle range indicated in Fig. 4 eifects this result.

With switch 628 closed, current flows to the timing motor through a circuit comprising conductor 64, door switch 69, conductor 65, switch 628, conductor 66 and return connection 67. The timer thus rotates continuously advancing the cams 61, 62 and 63 until such time as one of two recessed portions se and 83 of cam 62 is reached, whereupon switch 628 is opened to break the timer circuit. The motor 30 is simultaneously energized from plug P through a circuit formed of conductor 64, door switch 69, conductor 65, switch 628, conductors 33 and 34 and the return connection 67. Drive motor 30 thus rotates blower 31 and the tumbler drum 11 so long as cam 62 holds switch 628 closed.

In the practice of my invention it is preferred to operate the blower 31 continually during a cycle of operation since a steady flow of air into the tumbler drum is desirable, whether for purposes or" evaporating moisture, cooling the dried clothes, or mixing the conditioning medium with the clothes. Likewise, a continued rotation of tumbler drum is desirable. It will be noted though that at any time the door 8 is opened, the spring biased door switch 69 will interrupt both timer and motor rotation until the door is reclosed, thereby to provide for operator safety.

Assuming now that the knob 7 has been manually turned to some point in the Dry range, at the same time as the timer and the drive motor are energized by means of raised portion 62a of cam 62, cam 61 raises its cam follower closing switch 618. This cam is provided with a'raised portion 61a corresponding to about of rotation of the cam shaft and switch 618 is closed whenever this raised portion is in engagement with the follower. With switch 618 closed, a circuit is completed for the energization of heater 16. Specifically, the heater is energized across plug P through conductors 64 and 68, closed switch 618, conductor 70, a motor centrifugal switch 71, conductor 72, thermostat 73, lead 17, lead 18 and return conductor 67. At this time air forced by blower 31 into the heating space above the drum is heated by heater 16, passes intothe drum through its perforated side wall, flows across the drum drying the clothes therein and passes out of the drum through its side wall into the outlet 4. The thermostat 73 serves to limit the temperature which the clothes The length that this drying operation continues depends upon the original setting of the knob 7, i. e. on how far the timer is originally advanced into the dry period.

Whatever the original setting of the knob, the dryingaction continues with the heater being cycled on and off by thermostat 73 until the follower for cam 61 drops to the low portion of the cam periphery. This opens switch 618 so that no further heating occurs. The timer motor and the drive motor however continue to rotate providing a machine cool-down period. During this period the blower 31 supplies relatively cool air through the drier and lowers the temperature of the clothes in the drier drum so that they can be safely removed. This cool-down period is terminated when cam 62 is rotated to the point where its cam follower drops into the recess 30 and opens switch 628. The opening of switch 628 terminates timer and drive motor rotation and thereby shuts off the machine. The dry clothes may then be removed from the machine, or they may be sprinkled for ironing or otherwise liquid treated by means of my novel sprinkling means.

To sprinkle the dry clothes or to sprinkle clothes in any condition, the operation of the sprinkling means not being limited to dry clothes, the knob 7 is turned advancing the cam 62 so that its follower is raised by the cam surface 62b. It will be understood, however, that the sprinkling operation need not immediately follow the drying operation, and, in fact, that the dry clothes may be removed from the drier and later replaced therein for sprinkling. Also, the sprinkling operation is completely optional with the operator. The operator may, if she wishes, omit it entirely and use the machine to dry several loads of clothes merely by adjusting knob 7 back to the dry range each time. Conversely, by different adjusting of the knob 7 the operator may sprinkle one or several loads of previously dried clothes.

When the knob 7 is turned so that switch 628 is closed by means of cam surface 62b, the timer 60 and the drive motor 3i) are energized through the same circuits as during the drying operation. Simultaneously as the switch 628 is closed or shortly thereafter, the raised portion 63a of cam 63 lifts its cam follower so as to close the switch 638. This closes a circuit for energizing the motor 42 of the liquid spraying element 47. Specifically, the motor is energized across plug P through a circuit comprising conductors 64, 68 and 73, switch 638 conductor 81, motor centrifugal switch 82, leads 45 and 44 and return con doctor 67. The motor centrifugal switch 82 is responsive to the rotation of drive motor 30, and is eflective to break the sprinkler motor circuit if the drive motor should stop rotating due to the door 8 being opened or for any other reason. As motor 42 operates, the dispensing blade 47 throws the conditioning medium, in the form of a liquid spray, through aperture 48 into the tumbler drum and into contact with the clothes therein. The drive motor 3% meanwhile is continuing to drive the blower and the drum with the result that an intimate and uniform sprinkling of the clothes occurs. It will be noted that the heater 16 is not energized during this operation. The sprinkling operation continues until the cam follower of cam 63 drops onto the lower portion 63b of the cam opening switch 638 and de-energizing the sprinkler motor. Shortly, thereafter, as seen in Fig. 5 the cam follower of cam 62 drops into the recess 83 of the cam periphery rte-energizing the timer and the drive motor and stopping the rotation of the sequence control, the drier drum and the blower 31. In other word-s it shuts ofi the machine.

The operator may then open door 8 and remove the conditioned clothes from the drying machine.

As was mentioned above, the invention is capable of diverse usage as for example, the conditioning of previously dried clothes. If the user desires to sprinkle previously dried clothes preparatory to ironing the same, the clothes are placed in the machine and knob 7 set so that the sprinkling operation is initiated without the machine first proceeding through the drying operation. The length of the sprinkling operation of course depends upon the initial setting of the knob. Since the rotating disc 47 sprays water into the drum at a substantially constant rate, the length of the operation in turn determines the amount of water added to the clothes. The more water it is desired to add to the clothes, the longer the sprinkling operation should be set to continue.

From the above, it will be seen that by my invention I provide an improved multi-purpose clothes conditioning means for use in an automatic clothes drier. This conditioning means is effective to spray liquid into the tumbling drum at a relatively constant rate, and since it is driven by an electric motor, it may be advantageously controlled by the timer operated sequence control of the drier. The conditioning means, as shown, may be mounted on the door of the drier and thus is readily adaptable to almost all drier structures. The conditioning means also includes the desirable feature that merely by refilling container 41 with another conditioning fluid or by substituting another container for the container 41 the same apparatus may be used for other conditioning purposes than water sprinkling as hereinbefore mentioned.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be understood, of course, that I do not Wish to be limited thereto, since many modifications may be made; and I, therefore, contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In clothes conditioning apparatus, clothes tumbling means, .drive means for said clothes tumbling means, means including a heater for extracting moisture from the clothes being tumbled, clothes sprinkling means for alternatively dampening the clothes being tumbled, said sprinkling means including a liquid container mounted adjacent said clothes tumbling means, a rotatable element mounted in said container and throwing off a liquid spray into said drum when rotated, an electric motor for driving said element, and a manually operable control for selectively operating said drive means with said motor energized and with said heater inoperative for sprinkling clothes and with said heater operative and. with said motor de-energized for drying clothes. I

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said rotating element comprises a thin disc.

3. The combination of claim 1 including a second detachable container for feeding liquid to the container enclosing said rotating element, said detachable container having discharge means maintaining a substantially constant liquid level in the container enclosing said rotating element.

4. In clothes conditioning apparatus, a rotatable drum for tumbling clothes, drive means for said drum, means including a heater for extracting moisture from the clothes being tumbled, clothes sprinkling means for alternatively dampening the clothes being tumbled, said sprinkling means comprising a liquid dispenser including a first liquid container having a lower aperture adjacent its bottom for receiving a supply of liquid, a rotatable element disposed within said first container and mounted to dip into the liquid therein, said rotatable element throwing off a liquid spray from the periphery thereof when rotated, means for rotating said element, an upper aperture in the wall of said first container for the discharge of said spray from said container into said drum, a sec and liquid container mounted adjacent. said first container for supplying liquid to the lower aperture of said first container, and a manually operable control for selectively operating said drive means with said element rotating and with said heater inoperative for sprinkling clothes, and with said heater operative and with said element stationary for drying clothes.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said dispenser includes a pan mounted beneath said first container and in which said second container may be removably positioned.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said second container includes an aperture adjacent its bottom through 8 which the liquid is supplied to the lower aperture of said. 2,278,953 Stockham Apr. 7, 1942 first'container, whereby; a relatively constant liquid level 2,434,476 Wales Ian. 13, 1948 is maintained in said first container. 2,436,169 Haberstump Feb. 17, 1948 2,607,209 Constantine 'Aug, 19,1952- References Cited in the file of this patent 5 :1 2,652,708 Rimsha et a1 Sept, 22,1953

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,818,029 Anstiss Aug. 11, 1931 

